Creating New Pockets of Open Space

The Palo Alto Medical Center is an expansion of an active medical building on a site surrounded by office uses. SWA’s goal was to compose new pockets of open space between buildings and provide a contiguous landscape for patients, visitors and physicians. The landscape layout includes a plaza, healing garden and a corridor garden. A new central walkway provides pedestrian access through the site. Starting from a relocated rose memorial garden at the building entrance, the plaza is enclosed by crape myrtles. Special wood benches and a tiled water feature provide a refreshing respite for users. This plaza also serves as an extension space for the conference room and coffee kiosk. Visually accessible from the reception area, the healing garden is a colorful herb garden composed of medicinal plants, such as mint, lavender, purple coneflower, and chamomile. It provides space for educational functions. The corridor garden is a linear space next to physician offices. A planter wall is combined with special seating design. Fragrant, flowering plants are applied to reduce the sight impact of nearby parking space. The primary paving material is color concrete.